Ben Thanh Market

No where in Ho Chi Minh City can you find such a huge range of local handicrafts, branded goods, Vietnamese souvenir than in Ben Thanh Market.

Ben Thanh Day Market

Ben Thanh Night Market

When the sun is down, shops are closed, it’s time for local street food restaurant to be opened in nearby street. Hope you can find out more about local life, what we eat, what we buy and what we wear or use daily!

Established by the French colonial powers in 1870, the market was called Les Halles Centralles and was Saigon’s biggest market at that time. The market was moved to a new building and changed its name to new Ben Thanh Market, and since then became the oldest surviving market of Saigon. Beginning from a wet market in 17th century and went through many ups and downs, Ben Thanh Market has been the well-known icon of Ho Chi Minh City and is a must-visit destination for tourists to experience the real city.

In present time, the market is located in District 1, one of the central district of Ho Chi Minh City, where transportation is highly convenient. It is always crowded so you may find it a bit confusing at first, but remember to bargain for any price the sellers shout out, as it is an exciting experience that gives off only in Vietnamese markets. For travel tips, compare the price of at least three of four shops to compare the price and remember to bargain for the price you get, as you will be charged two or three times higher than the original price for locals.

Coming to Ben Thanh Market, tourists will be welcome with miscellaneous kinds of local dishes like banh xeo (pancake), hu tiu (clear rice noodle soup), banh cuon (stuffed pancake), etc. freshly cooked from market food stalls. At night, fresh seafood and fresh beer for extremely reasonable price (only $1-2) is a perfect choice that you must try during the tour. In the market, you can experience the local life of Saigonese as everything needed for their daily lives is in here, from clothes to furniture. Moreover, the market provides lovely local handicrafts for tourists to bring home as souvenirs to remember Vietnam. The market is definitely a destination for shopaholics.